In Washington, there are increasing calls for the United States to revive a separate South Asia strategy aligned more with Indo-Pacific priorities rather than those of the subcontinent proper. This shift could further dilute South Asia as traditionally defined by India. While extra-regional actors such as China and the United States have been cautiously enlarging their influence in the subcontinent, the principal contradiction remains among the countries of the region themselves.
A neighborhood-centered approach has much to offer the countries in the region. To achieve sustainable regional unity within South Asia, nations would have to abandon short-term nationalist politics in favor of a collaborative approach with their neighbors based on mutual accommodation and widespread buy-in. This approach would balance pragmatic economic partnerships with institutional political engagement.
Achieving sustainable regional unity within South Asia requires nations to prioritize collaboration over nationalism, fostering mutual accommodation and widespread buy-in for a more stable and prosperous region.